Back إم جي 08 Arabic MG 08 Breton Metralladora MG 08 Catalan MG 08 Czech MG 08 Danish MG 08 German MG 08 Spanish MG 08 Estonian امگه ۰۸ Persian Maschinengewehr 08 French
| Maschinengewehr 08 | |
|---|---|
 Maschinengewehr 08 deployed in sandy terrain | |
| Type |
|
| Place of origin | German Empire |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1908–1945 (Germany) 1911–1960s (China) |
| Used by | 25+ countries See Users |
| Wars | See Conflicts |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken (DWM) Spandau Arsenal |
| Manufacturer | DWM Spandau and Erfurt arsenals Hanyang Arsenal |
| No. built | 225,000+ 72,000 MG 08[1] 130,000 MG 08/15[1] 23,000 LMG 08/15 |
| Variants | lMG 08 MG 08/15 LMG 08/15 MG 08/18 HMG Type 24 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | Total 69 kg (152.1 lb) with water, 65 kg (143.3 lb) without water 26.5 kg (58.4 lb) gun body, 4 kg (8.8 lb) of water, 38.5 kg (84.9 lb) tripod |
| Length | 1,175 mm (46.3 in) |
| Barrel length | 721 mm (28.4 in) |
| Crew | 4 |
| Cartridge | 7.92×57mm Mauser 7.65×53mm Mauser 7x57mm Mauser 13×92mm TuF (TuF variant) |
| Action | Short recoil, toggle locked |
| Rate of fire | 450-500 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 878 m/s (2,881 ft/s) with (S Patrone) 765 m/s (2,510 ft/s) (s.S. Patrone) |
| Effective firing range | 2,000 m (2,187 yd) |
| Maximum firing range | 3,700 m (4,046 yd) (S Patrone) 4,700 m (5,140 yd) (s.S. Patrone) |
| Feed system | 250-round fabric belt 500-round fabric belt (aircraft) |
The Maschinengewehr 08, or MG 08, was the German Army's standard machine gun in World War I and is an adaptation of Hiram S. Maxim's original 1884 Maxim gun. It was produced in a number of variants during the war. The MG 08 served during World War II as a heavy machine gun in many German infantry divisions, although by the end of the war it had mostly been relegated to second-rate fortress units.
The Maschinengewehr 08 (or MG 08)—so-named after 1908, its year of adoption—was a development of the license made Maschinengewehr 01. The firing rate depends on the lock assembly used and averages 500 rounds per minute for the Schloss 08 and 600 rounds per minute for the Schloss 16. Additional telescopic sights were also developed and used in quantity during World War I to enable the machine gun for its long-range direct fire and indirect fire support roles.